1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a picking and assorting system wherein a total picking method is used for picking.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional art, one example of a picking system that sorts orders of articles of a type and quantity prescribed for each shipping destination is a picking system that is based on a total picking method. The total picking method is a method that totals, by type, orders for a plurality of shipping destinations, and picks, by type, the totaled number of articles from a storage area wherein the articles are stored. Furthermore, the articles collectively picked for the same type are sorted by the shipping destinations at an assorting station (e.g., refer to: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2007-39181).
With the total picking method, since orders for a plurality of shipping destinations can be picked collectively for each type, picking efficiency is high.
In the total picking method, the storage area is divided into a plurality of picking zones, and a worker is disposed at each of the picking zones. In the picking schedule assigned to the worker, one batch is determined based on the workspace at the assorting station.
Consequently, in the storage area, the picking quantity sometimes varies with the picking zone. For example, there are cases wherein the picking quantity assigned to the worker of a certain picking zone is far smaller than the picking quantity assigned to the workers of other picking zones. Namely, the picking efficiency of that picking zone is lowered and, in turn, the picking efficiency of the entire storage area is also lowered.
On the other hand, if the picking efficiency at the storage area is to be improved, it is conceivable that the assorting station lacks enough space for sorting by shipping destination. Specifically, a problem arises wherein containers, which house the picked articles, pile up or overflow at the assorting station, which runs out of space to place the containers. In other words, there is a possibility that the efficiency of the entire process, from picking to sorting, will not improve.